A schools' trust has hit back over a 'premature' decision for teachers to strike in a dispute over pensions.
National Education Union (NEU) members at Nottingham Girls' High School will strike on Thursday (February 10) from 7.30am.
It comes as up to 95 percent of all NEU teachers within the Girls' Day School Trust, which runs the school and 22 others across the country, voted in favour of strike action because of the employer's plan to withdraw from the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS).
A ballot for industrial action had a turnout of 84 percent.
It will be the first time in Nottingham Girls' High School's 149 year history strike action will have happened.
But executives from the trust have hit back, saying the decision to strike was 'premature' and that it had worked closely with headteachers to minimise disruption and ensure missed lessons will be caught up on.
Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO of GDST, said: "We have urged the NEU not to call for strike action prematurely, but they have chosen to carry on with strikes anyway.
"We are disappointed that the NEU has called for strike action while GDST Trustees are still considering all feedback gathered during the collective consultation process.
"GDST has worked closely with heads in our schools to ensure students continue to learn effectively during strike action.
"This includes drawing on GDST resources from across the family of schools and making sure any lessons that are missed on strike days are made-up at other times.
"We hope that, once Trustees make their decision at the end of February, we can reach an agreement with the NEU and with our teachers and that strike action after that date can be avoided in order to minimise disruption to our students’ education."
What has been described as "friendly and lively pickets of the school" are expected on Thursday.
The Trust said that an increase of 43 percent in employer contributions to TPS being introduced in 2019 was the reason for considering withdrawal.
This is in the wake of independent schools not receiving Government support and around 300 independents already leaving TPS, the trust said.
However, the NEU said the Trust had enough money.
As of December 2021, 71 percent of all teachers across the 23 GDST schools in the country are NEU members.
Nottinghamshire Live has been told the vast majority of teachers at Nottingham Girls' High School are members of the NEU, and the percentage of members who voted in favour could be higher than the 95 percent mark there.
Members were asked in a formal independent postal ballot if they were prepared to take part in sustained and discontinuous strike action in furtherance of the dispute.
The trust claimed its trustees said in September 2021 a final decision on how pension plans would proceed would be taken in the final week of February.
Nick Raine, senior regional officer for NEU, said: "Teachers at Nottingham Girls’ High have been badly let down by the GDST who have decided to brutally ‘fire and re-hire’ them to force through significant cuts to teachers' pensions.
"Not only is this unfair and unprecedented, it has damaged the Trust’s reputation and may well harm the future of the school as teachers choose to leave and recruiting quality staff becomes an issue.
"Our members will stage friendly and lively pickets of the school to show parents and the community that the pernicious practice of fire and re-hire has no place at Nottingham Girls’.
"We have been delighted with messages of support from parents, the community and local representatives.
"Teachers are delighted to have the support of our local MP Nadia Whittome.
"The Trust now need to do the right thing.
"It should withdraw its plans to withdraw from the TPS and listen to its teachers who want to focus on delivering the excellent education the girls at the school deserve."
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